NRI group in US campaigns for Changes in AP Corruption law

Lok Satta Party NRI group in the U. S. "People for Lok Satta" (www.peopleforloksatta.org) launched a campaign to garner support for an amendment to the Prevention of Corruption Act drafted by Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, President of the Lok Satta Party.

People for Lok Satta is urging the people of Andhra Pradesh to come forward and sign an online petition which calls upon the Chief Minister to walk his talk on combating rampant corruption. The group's campaign includes calls and emails to MLAs, online videos and writing to Indian print and electronic media.

Party spokespersons Mr. V.Laxman Balaji and Mrs. Y. Ramadevi released here the deatils to the media.

"Corruption cancer is killing India. We do not have strong laws to prevent corruption and punish the guilty. Only with public awareness and pressure on MLAs can the bill pass with majority support" said Ms. Hyma Sagi, who is spearheading the campaign for the group.

The online petition, (http://www.petitiononline.com/acbill), which has gained close to 1000 signatures so far, outlines the many provisions of the bill which facilitate seizure and forfeiture of property of corrupt public servants and establishing an independent anti-corruption agency.

"Combating corruption is not one party's crusade but it's everyone's fight" said Mr. Kapil Bolisetti, an active volunteer from the New Jersey chapter of People for Lok Satta. "The success of the bill hinges on creating awareness of the bill by explaining the loopholes in the existing anti-corruption laws and the need for stringent laws to curb corruption. When enough pressure comes from people, the elected representatives will have no way but to support the bill. After all, aren't they our voice?"

The NRI group, with more than 300 passionate working professionals, is actively working to support Citizen Help Centers in India, campaigning for NRI voting rights, creating awareness about the party's ideology and attracting the disenchanted NRI community into the mainstream political process.